Municipal News & Jobs

It has a number of murals and more are in the works, or at least, will be soon. “This is for artists and it’s also for businesses in the downtown district that may want to beautify a wall on their exterior,” said Sarah Runyon, Pittsburg Community Development Specialist. A grant that gives residents of Pittsburg the chance to showcase their art for all in the city to see, is back this year. Applicants can receive up to fifteen hundred dollars with clearance from the city, to create a mural promoting their business, or expressing themselves.
Read more: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

The City Commission will consider a proposal Monday that could eventually make the city’s own website the official newspaper. The Lawrence Journal-World has been the designated newspaper for public notices since 2010. If the proposal is approved, most public notices would only need to be posted on the city’s website and not in an independent newspaper. The site cityofeudoraks.gov would be designated to act as Eudora’s official newspaper for publishing city business. City staff argue the move would save money. Within the first eight months of 2025, the city has incurred over $7,900 in publication costs, according to the meeting agenda.
Read more: The Eudora Times

The city filed a lawsuit against Kaw Valley State Bank this past summer over several counterfeit checks drawn from a city account, raising allegations that the bank denies. According to the lawsuit, filed in June in Douglas County District Court, multiple counterfeit checks ranging from $2,500 to $50,000 were debited from the city’s account from late July to early September 2024, totalling more than $133,000. After some reimbursements from the bank, the city is still out $76,802 in fraudulently pulled funds.
Read more: The Eudora Times

The look and feel for new community spaces along the west bank of the Arkansas River downtown are moving closer to reality. Wichita City Council approved the early design concepts for three pieces of public art that will be located along the river just east of Equity Bank Park at its Tuesday meeting. The gathering spaces and public art will back up to the mixed-use development that’s under construction at Maple and McLean and will include a new hotel and apartment complex next to the ballpark.
Read more: Wichita Business Journal – Local Wichita News

This enormous jamboree is not only a national event with folks coming from every state, but also international with flags of many countries flying over the campsites. The festival started on the campus of Southwestern College back in 1972 but grew so much in popularity it had to be moved to the Cowley County Fairgrounds not long after.
Read more: Hays Daily News

On April 5, dispatcher Rachel Barnes answered a 911 call reporting a woman in labor in rural Ellis County. Barnes quickly instructed the caller to gather towels before giving further directions. Barnes said the most challenging part of the phone call was waiting for responders. The family was about 15 miles away from HaysMed.
Read more: Hays Post

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

City Manager Brian Silcott resigned and will continue in the role until the end of 2025. The future of the next city manager has yet to be determined, however Mayor Emily Allen said the new manager is hoped to start within the first quarter of 2026.
Read more: The Ottawa Herald

If a dog bites someone in Great Bend, the City’s rabies control ordinance used to require at least a 14-day quarantine. The ordinance was revised at Monday’s Great Bend City Council meeting, shortening the quarantine to 10 days. The animal may be quarantined at home if there is a fenced-in yard and there are no other safety concerns.
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The Federal Reserve on Wednesday approved a widely anticipated rate cut and signaled that two more are on the way before the end of the year as concerns intensified over the U.S. labor market.
In an 11 to 1 vote that signaled less dissent than Wall Street had anticipated, the Federal Open Market Committee lowered its benchmark overnight lending rate by a quarter percentage point. The decision puts the overnight funds rate in a range between 4%-4.25%.
Read more: Bonds

Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced that the agency has awarded $75,000 in Rural Mural funding to support 12 public art projects in rural communities across the state. “Our rural communities are the backbone of what makes our state so great — they’re rich in culture, resilience and unique identity,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Investing in these large-scale public art pieces allows communities to signal not only hometown pride but a commitment to harnessing creativity to drive economic growth across Kansas.”
Read more: Press Releases Archives – Kansas Department of Commerce

Elizabeth Ramsey has been hired as the new Assistant City Administrator for the City of Lyons.  Ramsey, who took her oath of office at the Lyons City Council meeting on Sept. 15, grew up in a small town in eastern Oregon. She earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Politics from George Fox University and her Masters of Public Policy and Public Administration, with a concentration in local government management, from Colorado State University.
Read more: Ad Astra Radio | Your Hometown Radio Stations & Local News Source

Bourbon County Commissioners have put a cap on the length of commission meetings. On Monday, commissioners discussed putting in place procedures for shortening meetings, many of which have run three to four hours. The commission ultimately voted unanimously to adopt procedures which include starting meetings at 5:30 p.m., following the agenda until 7:30 p.m.; moving those people who have traveled for the meeting to the top of the agenda; setting the agenda for the following week’s meeting prior to adjournment, otherwise adjourning the meeting at 7:30 p.m.
Read more: Fort Scott Tribune

At its recent meeting, the Bentley City Council reluctantly passed water restrictions forced by the City of Wichita, the sole supplier of water to the city. While drought conditions persist throughout the area, Wichita has been increasing pressure on customers of its untreated water supply to implement water conservation plans that limit outdoor water use. The most recent restrictions limit watering lawns to three specific days per week, before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m., at each address. The particular days are based on each residence’s even or odd house number. City Administrator and Police Chief James “Tim” Bryan read out the new outdoor water schedules, variances, exemptions and penalties, including $50 fines for first-time offenders and $75 fines for repeat offenses.
Read more: Harvey County Now

Holton Community Hospital (HCH) officials are asking Jackson County residents for their support during the Nov. 4 general election. Registered voters in Jackson County will be asked on the ballot whether they support a special .25 percent retailers’ sales tax specifically for hospital services. To help the public understand the need for the sales tax, several public town hall meetings will be held throughout the county this month and next, it has been reported.
Read more: The Holton Recorder

Another Johnson County city is cracking down on e-bikes by adding new rules for younger users. In the city of Fairway, e-bike users must now be at least 15 years old, or under the direct supervision of an adult. The city also now requires minors to wear helmets. The new rules went into effect Tuesday, a week after the Fairway City Council voted Sept. 8 to adopt the new e-bike regulations. Recently, e-bikes and e-scooters have grown in popularity among Johnson County children and, as such, have become the subject of new restrictions in Prairie Village as well as outright bans at shopping centers like Corinth Square, Ranch Mart and Nall Valley Shops.
Read more: Johnson County Post

The Overland Park Police Department is about to get a multimillion-dollar technology overhaul, including new body cameras and drones. The new technology from Axon Enterprise will replace many of the police department’s independent programs with an integrated platform that department officials say will be more efficient and easier to use for evidence management, data storage and other functions. In addition to software, the department will also get new body cameras and other digital recording devices, tasers, training, drones and more.
Read more: Johnson County Post

From luxury single-family homes to for-sale villas, western Lenexa is seeing a surge in residential development that caters to a wide range of homebuyers and renters. Here’s a look at five residential projects that, together, aim to add more than 1,700 housing units.
Read more: Kansas City Business Journal

People new to Marysville will have the chance to get connected and find out how things work in their community. Welcome to Marysville: Newcomers & Networkers takes place Thursday, September 25, from 5–7 p.m. at Venue 36, 1195 Pony Express Highway. The event is sponsored by OneMarysville.  The gathering is designed for those who have lived in Marysville five years or fewer. It’s a casual, come-and-go evening where people can meet others, learn about local organizations and discover community traditions—from the Black Squirrel Fall Fest to when Santa will be in his house. 
Read more: KCLY Radio